The Third Letter: The Vanished Plaster Statue
To determine whether this incident with the third letter was truly caused by a "living, moving" ghost story, or if there was some hidden secret we hadn't uncovered yet, we had to investigate firsthand. Letters alone weren't enough to judge everything, so we needed to meet the art club students directly, talk to them, and inspect the warehouse.
For now, assuming it might be a real ghost story, I'd already sent Rozalia Soline back to the Paranormal Investigation Club room and stationed her there as our regression agent. If it turned out to be a genuine ghost story, someone would need to hit the reset button.
After that, we headed to the art club to unravel the mystery of the third letter.
The art club wasn't in the 1st Main Building. It was in the Central Club Building. Built solely for club activities, the Central Club Building housed clubs from all grades across Everlight Academy, unlike the grade-specific clubs in buildings like the 1st Main Building, which catered mainly to first-years.
Located where the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Main Buildings converged—like the library—it stood tall and imposing. Far grander than the club facilities in the grade buildings, most clubs had their main headquarters here, using the grade buildings only as outposts. Our Paranormal Investigation Club was a rare exception: a small, single-grade club tucked away in the remotest corner of the 1st Main Building's fifth-floor hallway—barely scraping by as one of the academy's weakest.
In stark contrast, the art club—as its name suggested—was one of Everlight Academy's historic powerhouses, boasting real prestige.
As we approached the massive entrance to the Central Club Building, the lively chatter grew louder. Students in uniforms from all grades, not just the familiar first-year ones, mingled freely, laughing and chatting. The sheer scale rivaled the grade buildings themselves.
Elaine Astraea, Rone Yustria, and Aurora Victoria looked a bit overwhelmed entering the Central Club Building for the first time. They might not have felt it consciously, but as first-years still new to the academy, the casual presence of so many upperclassmen seemed to shrink them ever so slightly.
Good grief, I thought. After all the life-or-death ghost stories we've faced, they're intimidated by seniors just walking around?
"Teacher, there's... more people than I expected."
Elaine sounded composed, but a subtle tension laced her voice. She seemed faintly overshadowed by the second- and third-years milling about, her usual poise dimmed just a touch.
Rone didn't hide her unease at all.
"Ugh, so many seniors... it's awkward...."
She pressed close to my side, eyes wide as she scanned the surroundings.
"Places like this... I've avoided them as much as possible so far.... Just in case... we should be careful...."
Surprisingly, even Aurora couldn't conceal her tension. I'd figured she'd be fine, zipping in and out of the library like it was her home and unfazed by upperclassmen. But she kept glancing around furtively, as if dodging something.
......
The vast hallways of the Central Club Building buzzed with energy. On our way to the art club, we passed countless club rooms: the music club's thundering harmonies spilling out, the newspaper club's silent scribbling visible through windows, and the rhythmic shouts from the Hipnia traditional sports club echoing down the corridor.
We wove through these passion-filled clubs and finally reached the art club's room.
As I moved to open the door, a student in a paint-splattered apron stepped forward to block us. Polite but firm, he asked,
"Who might you be? What brings you to the art club?"
"I'm the advisor for a club called the Paranormal Investigation Club. I've heard rumors about the recent plaster statue incident here and came to investigate."
He furrowed his brow.
"Paranormal Investigation Club? Never heard of it."
Probably because our club was an obscure new one in a grade building, not the Central Club Building, he eyed me and the students behind me warily. With a name like that—and the art club already on edge from their incident—they weren't about to welcome strangers with open arms.
"I'm sorry, but visits to the art club need to be cleared with our advisor first...."
He was polite but icy, clearly trying to send us away.
That's when it happened. One of the first-year art club students inside spotted me and cried out in surprise,
"Teacher Allen Jest?"
The shout rippled through the art club members.
"Allen Jest? That Allen Jest?"
"The Friend of the People? He really became a teacher at Everlight Academy?"
My reputation had spread among the academy students, so the one who'd been about to turn us away flustered, bowing deeply in apology.
"Forgive me, Teacher! I thought you were suspicious... Things have been tense here lately...."
I smiled and waved it off.
"Hahaha. No worries. My club's not exactly famous, after all. Can't be helped."
I said it with a laugh, but it didn't sit great. To run the club smoothly in the academy, I really needed to boost the Paranormal Investigation Club's profile.
Turning to the art club students, I introduced myself properly.
"I'm Allen Jest, teacher for the first-years in the 1st Main Building and advisor to the Paranormal Investigation Club. And these are my club members."
Elaine, Rone, and Aurora lined up, bowing neatly.
"Elaine Astraea."
"Hello! Rone Yustria here!"
"...Aurora Victoria."
The student who'd greeted us straightened up and introduced himself calmly.
"I'm Gain, president of the art club."
Meeting the president right off the bat was a stroke of luck. It let us cut straight to the chase.
"Actually, we received an anonymous letter at the Paranormal Investigation Club requesting help with this art club incident. I suspect it came from one of your members feeling anxious about it...."
Gain nodded.
"I see. If that's the case, I'll cooperate fully. Our members have been on edge because of it. What can I help with?"
"First, I'd like the full story on the missing plaster statue. I got the gist from the letter, but hearing the details firsthand would be best."
Gain, the art club president, nodded and began explaining.
"It happened two days ago—Tuesday after classes. Dollorens stopped by the art club warehouse to check the locks and was the first to notice the statue was gone."
Dollorens... Person B from the letter.
Gain sighed.
"The statue has no market value, but to our club, it's priceless—a testament to our history from past graduates. Every piece like it is. Anyway, it's a life-sized bust: heavy and bulky. No one could steal it quickly without being seen."
Elaine asked,
"What’s the warehouse like? Where is it?"
She'd been listening quietly but jumped in with a question. Gain looked briefly surprised but answered openly.
"Yes, structurally, there's no sign of outsiders breaking in."
He stated it firmly.
"Only one door, always locked after classes with a sturdy padlock—no damage. There's a window, but it's too small and high—even a child couldn't fit, let alone remove the statue."
He paused to catch his breath, then described the location.
"Our warehouse is in the old building behind this Central Club Building. No active clubs use it now; it's mostly storage, so foot traffic is low. Given enough time, anyone could pull it off there."
The old building. Everlight Academy, with its long history, had some structures so worn they'd built new ones alongside. The current Central Club Building was the new one; the old stayed as storage.
"That's why Lily, our first suspect, was under heavy suspicion. She was in charge of locking up on Monday—the day before. She had the key, and club activities ended early, so she had free access until after classes. Plenty of opportunity."
He paused, looking at us.
"But that Monday evening, another club's student passed by heading to their storage, glanced through the little window, and swore the statue was there. They're certain of it. That established Lily's alibi."
Person A from the letter—Lily, in charge of Monday's lockup.
Aurora frowned.
"So Lily isn't the culprit?"
"Maybe, maybe not."
Gain's expression grew complicated.
"Suspect two is Dollorens, whom I mentioned. She locked up Tuesday and discovered it missing. She had the key too."
"Then Dollorens...!"
Rone raised her voice, but Gain cut her off.
"But Dollorens was with club members all Tuesday for extracurriculars—from morning till sunset, never alone. The statue's too big; she had no window to move it secretly."
He spread his hands in frustration.
"Both had access but ironclad reasons they couldn't have done it. Now the club's whispering that the前辈's artistic soul made the statue move itself. The two with keys couldn't steal it. It's even affecting attendance."
He looked exasperated.
Having heard that much, I started piecing it together mentally. It matched the letter mostly, but the conversation filled in key gaps: the old building's isolation, the eyewitness confirming Lily's alibi.
But...
"Have you figured something out?"
the president asked cautiously.
I shook my head thoughtfully.
"Not yet. Not enough info."
Too early to call it a ghost story—or dismiss it.
"Could I talk to Lily and Dollorens?"
Gain shook his head regretfully.
"Afraid not. Being suspected has them too stressed; they haven't shown up lately."
"...I see."
I wanted more details... Then I remembered another student who might know more.
"What about the one who saw the statue intact Monday evening?"
"Ah, that student? Yes, from the track club."
Gain readily gave the witness's name and affiliation.
"...Though if they're skipping extracurriculars, might be hard."
"No problem. I can probably catch them even without."
I smiled faintly and thanked him.
Didn't expect to hear that name here.
With that, we headed to the track club.